91% of Foreign Residents Are Satisfied with Life in Japan: Rising Prices, Low Wages, and Stricter Immigration Rules

Japan is often seen as a clean, safe, and comfortable country to live in. But wage levels, rising prices, workplace issues, and immigration uncertainty remain important challenges.

91% of foreign residents are satisfied with life in Japan

The Immigration Services Agency of Japan has published the results of the FY2025 Basic Survey of Foreign Residents.

According to the survey, 91% of respondents answered that they were either satisfied or somewhat satisfied with life in Japan. This was an increase of about three percentage points from the previous year.

This is a positive sign for Japanese society. It shows that many foreign residents highly value Japan as a place to live.

However, the figure should not be understood too simply. The important question is not only whether foreign residents are satisfied, but why they are satisfied and what concerns they still have.

Why are foreign residents satisfied?

The most common reason for satisfaction was Japan’s good living environment, including cleanliness. This was followed by cultural and social compatibility, and public safety.

In other words, Japan is highly valued as a clean, safe, and stable place to live. Public transportation, medical services, social order, food culture, and the general convenience of daily life may also support this high level of satisfaction.

The main concerns are rising prices, low wages, and discrimination

On the other hand, the reasons for dissatisfaction show a different side of the issue.

In the FY2025 survey, the most common reason for dissatisfaction was high prices, which increased significantly from the previous year. Low wages came next, followed by discrimination against foreign residents.

This suggests that Japan is seen as a comfortable country to live in, but not necessarily as a country where foreign residents can earn enough or build strong financial prospects.

Rising prices directly affect foreign residents’ daily lives, including rent, food, utilities, transportation, education, and family expenses. If wages do not rise sufficiently, even people who are satisfied with life in Japan may feel uncertain about their long-term future.

Work-related concerns: low wages, difficulty taking leave, and long working hours

Work-related concerns also show the same pattern. Low wages were the most common problem at work. Difficulty taking leave and long working hours were also notable concerns.

Japan’s living environment and public safety are highly valued, but wage levels, prices, and working conditions remain important issues.

For foreign workers, low wages are not just a workplace complaint. They can affect visa renewal, permanent residency, family reunification, housing, children’s education, and long-term savings.

For employers, retaining foreign talent requires more than assigning duties that match the employee’s status of residence. Wages, leave, working hours, social insurance, and workplace communication are also important.

Japan’s wage level compared with other countries

This issue can also be seen in international wage comparisons.

According to OECD average annual wage data, Japan’s average annual wage in 2024 was about USD 49,446 in purchasing power parity terms. South Korea was about USD 50,947, Germany about USD 69,433, the United States about USD 82,933, and the OECD average about USD 61,147.

This means that Japan may be attractive in terms of safety and living conditions, but it is less competitive in terms of wages compared with other major work destinations.

Of course, wages alone do not determine life satisfaction. Public safety, medical services, public transportation, clean living conditions, food culture, childcare, and overall social stability all make Japan attractive to many foreign residents.

However, for highly skilled professionals, IT engineers, researchers, specialists, and entrepreneurs, Japan’s relatively low wage level can be a serious weakness. Even if Japan is safe and comfortable, rising prices and stagnant wages may make it difficult for foreign residents to see strong long-term financial prospects.

The impact of stricter immigration rules

Recent tightening of immigration rules may also affect how foreign residents plan their future in Japan.

For example, the requirements for the Business Manager status of residence were revised and took effect on October 16, 2025. The revised rules require at least one full-time employee, capital of at least JPY 30 million, and a certain level of Japanese language ability.

These changes may help prevent abuse of the system, such as paper companies or businesses without real substance.

At the same time, they raise the barrier for genuine foreign entrepreneurs who want to start small businesses in Japan. For sectors such as IT, consulting, trading, and small service businesses, it may become more difficult to start with a small team and limited initial fixed costs.

Permanent residency is also affected by recent legal reforms. The Immigration Services Agency explains that the new rules are not intended to revoke permanent residency in cases where non-payment of taxes or public charges is caused by unavoidable circumstances such as illness or unemployment. Nevertheless, foreign residents may still feel uncertainty if immigration rules change after they have built their lives in Japan.

Social media is an important information source for foreign residents

The FY2025 survey also shows the importance of social media as an information source for foreign residents. Social media was the most common way to obtain information, used by nearly 80% of respondents. Facebook was the most commonly used platform, followed by YouTube and TikTok.

Information about visas, permanent residency, dependent visas, work restrictions, job changes, permission to engage in activities outside the status of residence, and foreign employment compliance is often misunderstood or incorrectly shared on social media.

For this reason, it is important for professionals to provide accurate and practical information based on Japanese immigration law and actual immigration practice.

Conclusion: Japan is comfortable, but the challenges are clear

The fact that 91% of foreign residents are satisfied with life in Japan is a major strength for Japanese society.

At the same time, the reasons behind satisfaction and dissatisfaction must be understood carefully. Japan is valued for its clean living environment, cultural compatibility, and public safety. However, rising prices, low wages, discrimination, difficulty taking leave, long working hours, and uncertainty caused by stricter immigration rules remain important issues.

Discussions about foreign residents in Japan should not be driven only by emotion or political confrontation. They should be based on statistics, wages, living costs, immigration law, and actual employment practices.